Asher Twist - Review

[reallyhotpants]

Asher Twist
http://www.leeasher.com/asher_twist.htm

Product Description
On this DVD Lee Asher teaches you one thing and one thing only, his Asher Twist.

4 cards are shown and placed together.  There is a magical gesture and the 4 cards are fanned out showing one card has turned over.  This repeats till all 4 cards are turned over.

An alternative is 4 cards are shown.  The top card is turned over and placed together.  There is a magical gesture and the 4 cards are faned out showing they have all turned over.



Teaching
The video was shot with great angles showing how to perform the move properly.
Lee goes into various suggestions to prevent flashing and common problems that most people run into while learning this.

Best thing I liked about the teaching is Lee handles the cards with his right hand just like me!  That made it easier for me to learn it.  I did not have to "convert" from left to right and right to left just to learn something  *phew*
For the rest of you folks, just use it as a mirror with your tv.

Routines
The DVD does not have much on routines.  There are examples of routines such as Richocett, Crazy 8s and something to do with business cards which uses the Asher Twist to perform.



DVD
The production of the video is very well done.  Clear videos and great camera angles.  Great sound, I can not stress this.  The audio on majority of the videos out there fade in and out too much and I have to mess arround with the remote.  I did not have to do that with this one.

The bonus section of the DVD contains a wealth of information on the various sleights similar to this, sort of like a bibliography.  I liked the one section on how the Asher Twist got it's name and from who!

I only have one complaint about the DVD.  There is no "play all" for the bonus section of the DVD, so I needed to scroll through the different menu options to get to the ones in the middle.



Final Thoughts
As with this review, the DVD is fairly short.  Most the interestings bits are found in the bonus section.  

The Asher Twist is not hard to learn, but it does require a bit of practice so you won't flash it.

I'm giving the Asher Twist move a 10 out of 10 because of the simplicity and very visual out come.
For the DVD it'll have to be a 6 out of 10... just too short.  It does however, let's me use my "creative juices" to make up my own thing




Thanks for reading. Hope this helps people who are interested in getting/learning this great move.

[jamesgordon]

I have had my eye on this for quite some time.
When i watch the video of the effect i think it looks really good, only thing im wary of is ordering from america to the uk.

Is this available anywhere in the uk?

jamesgordon

[McAig]

i'm in the uk ordered this from the us a few months back, and delivery was prompt, absolutely no problems, in fact about the same amount of time as i've had to wait for deliveries from some uk shops. a little note from lee asher, a feeling of personal service, plus by getting it direct from the source, you're helping the money get to the originator direct, which i think is to be encouraged.

on the basis of my experience i'd say absolutely go ahead and order it direct from lee asher's site. the dvd is only about the technique for the one sleight, but i was happy with the purhcase and i thought he did a very good job teaching it

[Ed]

Luckily i was actually taught by Lee himself. During the one on one he was able to correct my handling to make it undetectable. I am confident that anyone who is even slightly skilled with cards should be able to do this. Having not see the DVD I am unable to pass much comment and I don't even know if this would be valid but you should try to perform it exactly as it is explained and demonstrated down to every seemingly insignificant detail. It has been perfected to this point and it would be a shame to ruin the effect for your spectators.
At the risk of sounding like a nag "practice". It pays off.

[lumberjohn]

This is one of those effects I've always thought was more impressive for magicians than laypeople.  The most impressive thing to magicians is that you are really using only four cards.  No Elmsley.  No Ascanio.  No gaffs or gimmicks.  We are so used to these devices used in "twist" effects that it is refreshing to see an effect that is so clean.

But laypeople are not impressed by such things.  They will think of the most simple explanation.  They will assume you are doing what you are in fact doing.  The laypeople I've performed this for were far less impressed than my magician friends.  This leads me to believe I was performing the effect adequately (my magician friends are quick to tell me when I flash), but that it just doesn't resonate with laypeople the same way. 

[jamesgordon]

If this is done as well as lee asher does it then i think all lay people and magicians would be impressed.

[reallyhotpants]

I have to agree with lumberjohn on this.  It is more impressive for magicians than for layman.  However, if you demonstrated this within a routine like ricochet it works well.

-kent

[h_A_Z]

What I like about this is the fact that if it is done right, it looks superb BUT if not, I supposed you can kinda see whats going on. Apparently Reed McInclock has a chest version of Asher's  Twist. Anyone with that DVD?

[Magi-Ken]

I really like the Asher Twist.  I use it as an opener (sometimes a closer) in connection with an eight card sheep and goat version of oil and water that I put together.  I have a gospel message that the cards (all sheep rather than aces) follow the lead sheep.

In my variation, the top card is turned over openly and then the card below it ( ) turns over and then each of the others, one at a time (one less actual turn over than in the original).  Then, when all are face down, the lead sheep is turned over with the result that the rest of the sheep have learned to follow quickly and all have turned over too. Again my variation is streamlined to one less mass turn over than the original Asher version.

The rest of the message (a more meaningful term than patter) is about how lead sheep have often been known to lead whole flocks into danger, trouble, or disaster. Sheep are typically rather dumb in that respect.  It is always better to follow the shepherd.  Sheep are also rather gentle animals and inoffensive so the Bible likens the followers of God to sheep.  Jesus is the Good Shepherd who will never lead us astray, knows us by name, and cares for us.  In the end He will know who His followers are, His sheep.  He will separate them from the similar, but very differently demeanored goats.  The sheep He will take home to the fold.

The four sheep cards are mixed with four goat cards and separate into like kinds in an astonishing manner. (Accompanied by more gospel messages.)

Coincidentally, I just described this whole thing, as well as some other messages that can be coupled with magic tricks, on my show earlier tonight (Magic with a Message, on www.magicbroadcast.com).  It will go into reruns earlier than usual because the episode is an adjunct (help, tutorial, leg-up) to the Big Book Writing Contest that is running through May 1st, '07.  So, look for the reruns, and while you are there, check out the contest and HUGE $$ prize package for the top ten entries.  You will find it in the contest section on the main page.  Perhaps some of you will enter.  Entry messages are not limited to the gospel magic category; they just need to be positive, values oriented, and educational.

  -- Magi-Ken

PS.  Where do I get sheep and goat cards?  I write the words SHEEP and GOAT on blank faced cards in BLACK and RED ink respectively to make an even bigger contrast. I put a letter S and G in the respective index spots.  There they are, ready to use.  If you like it, make your own and enjoy!